Randy Pausch, the ‘last lecture’ professor has died

My parents just bought me The Last Lecture as a present for graduating from college (at 37 years old I’m no whiz kid).

Randy Pausch, a Carnegie Mellon University computer scientist whose “last lecture” about facing terminal cancer became an Internet sensation and a best-selling book, died Friday. He was 47.

Randy Pausch emphasized the joy of life in his “last lecture,” originally given in September 2007.

Pausch died at his home in Virginia, university spokeswoman Anne Watzman said. Pausch and his family moved there last fall to be closer to his wife’s relatives.

Pausch was diagnosed with incurable pancreatic cancer in September 2006. His popular last lecture at Carnegie Mellon in September 2007 garnered international attention and was viewed by millions on the Internet. In it, Pausch celebrated living the life he had always dreamed of instead of concentrating on impending death.

As much as I am looking forward to listening to the audio CD of The Last Lecture, I find it very strange that Carnegie Mellon named a footbridge after him and an AP author felt that was one of his significant achievements. If I die and you want to remember me, please mention something other than a footbridge. Thanks.

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